


Maze of the Arts

by Colleen17



Category: Emergency!
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-30
Updated: 2013-07-30
Packaged: 2017-12-21 20:31:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/904588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Colleen17/pseuds/Colleen17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Entombed in an underground maze of an old theatre, with a raging fire burning above ground, Johnny and Roy fight to stay conscious to escape with their two victims. Two friendships are seen through young and old eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

LA County Fire-Fighter/Paramedics Roy DeSoto and Johnny Gage had been searching the underground of a theatre for some time for two civilians. The old theatre, once a thriving centre of entertainment, had become a death-trap for the missing actors. The crews of stations 51 and 36 were fighting a losing battle above ground. Containing the fire to the theatre itself was no longer their priority. Stopping the surging fire from engulfing a nearby furniture factory had become their main concern.

"Man! This place is like a maze." Johnny exclaimed to his partner, frustration and bewilderment showing in his body language. Every corner they turned revealed more hallways and dressing rooms.

"Where are they?" Roy was feeling as frustrated as Johnny. "Have we been down there?" He pointed to a dark hallway, where the emergency lights had failed to illuminate.

"I don't think so. All these hallways look the same. I couldn't even tell you which way was out." Johnny was beginning to worry. The smoke was getting thicker and the emergency lighting was flickering. Soon they would be searching in darkness. They had yelled till both their voices were hoarse.

"Hold it!" Roy put a hand on his partner's shoulder. He gestured for Johnny to listen. A muffled cry could be heard from further down the hall. Johnny and Roy looked at each other, acknowledging that they had both heard the muffled cries. They ran down the hall, calling out and searching. The urgency of finding the two missing actors and getting them out of the building was highlighted by their frantic movements. They had spent too much time down in the theatre's pit, that not only housed the actors' dressing rooms, but endless hallways leading to storage rooms of props and costumes of performances long past.

Above ground a second alarm had brought more fire trucks to fight the raging blaze that threatened a whole city block. Many of the buildings were old and vacant. Their rundown conditions only adding fuel to the hungry fire. It was spreading at an alarming rate so a third alarm was put out. The city became an environment of flashing red lights and wailing sirens. News helicopters hovered above and crowds of onlookers gathered.

Chet and Marco held their position and sprayed the water into a particular area keeping a clear path for their paramedics to escape through. They focused on the stairwell that led to under the theatre. Both men wore masks of concentration. As time ticked by they became worried for the safety of their fellow crew members. Chet's HT came to life. Captain Stanley asked for their status.

"We're still waiting for Gage and De Soto Cap."

Captain Stanley had tried several times to contact his paramedics. The thicknesses of the underground tunnels were interfering with reception; he was only receiving disjointed replies from them. Time was running out. If the fire reached the furniture factory they would have to call off the search. The factory stored many chemicals and gas bottles. It was a time bomb waiting to explode and if the paramedics were caught underground during an explosion they would most likely be trapped and buried.

Roy found an open room where the actors had retreated to after smelling smoke. They had obviously thought that if they moved as far away from the smoke as possible they would be safe.

"If ever you think there is a fire you need to get out of the building not go deeper into it." Roy told the two men in his calm authoritative voice.

"Do you know the way out?" Johnny asked them. "We need to get out now!" He tried to convey the urgency of the situation, but maintain calm at the same time.

"Yes yes…I know the way. I've been working here for many years." One of the actors answered with the utmost confidence. All four men began to leave the room when there was a huge explosion from above. The room shook and the lights flickered before completely going out. A wave of smoke and dust swallowed them. They turned their backs instinctively as each paramedic covered a victim trying to protect them from the onslaught. Soon there were sounds of cracking and crashing all around them. Roy felt something heavy hit him in the back. One of the walls started to collapse into the room, Johnny pushed the actor standing closest to it out of the way but he was hit by the wall before he could get out of the way.

Chet and Marco felt the ground shake when the small furniture factory exploded. They dropped the hose and fell to the ground. Debris flew through the air in all directions. Dust and smoke clouds engulfed the buildings. The sounds of collapsing walls and ceilings and smaller explosions rang through the area. Within minutes it was all over and only the sound of timber burning and glass from windows breaking could only be heard. In unison fire fighters jumped to their feet, gathered up their hoses and sprayed jets of water onto the fire that was now consuming a large portion of the block.

Chet and Marco could no longer see the opening to the stairwell. Their crewmates were trapped in the depths of the theatre. They prayed that they were safe and that the fire remained above ground. Calls over HT's confirming the safety of fire fighters came through. Only one HT didn't reply. Captain Stanley continued to call for his paramedics to respond but only received static in reply. Engineer Mike Stoker looked on with concern and then focused on his gauges. Somewhere in the depths of the now unrecognisable theatre were his two friends.

The room was dark and hazy. Dust and smoke filled their lungs causing them to cough. Only Roy's SCBA remained intact. Johnny's mask lay cracked next to his head. He tried to move the weight from his back without success. He called out to his partner Roy but received no answer. One of the actors crawled over to Johnny as he coughed up the dust and smoke he had breathed in.

"Are you alright?" He croakily asked Johnny.

"I'm not sure. Everything is kind of numb. I can't move. What's on top of me?" Johnny asked the actor. He was pinned face down and couldn’t turn enough to see what was on top of him.

"There's a cupboard that must have been on the other side of the wall and a couple of beams." The actor replied.

"Can you check on my partner and your friend?" Johnny asked. He would have to wait.

"Sure." Johnny watched the actor crawl through the wreckage. There was more coughing and the other actor came into sight as he sat up. "Your partner is over here. He's unconscious. Looks like this steel beam hit him. His head is bleeding."

Johnny coughed, his breathing was a little laboured but he ignored it and kept his mind focused on the three remaining people in the wrecked room. The thought of a _steel_ beam hitting his partner’s head worried him. He could have a fractured skull. "Can you find something to hold against his head to stop the bleeding?"

"Here Brad." The other actor handed a small hand towel to him.

"Don’t press too hard just enough to control the bleeding. We don’t know how bad the head injury is. Are you guys both alright?" Johnny asked suddenly realising that his priority should have been the victims.

The second actor answered, "I'm fine….just a slight headache."

"I've done something to my knee." Brad answered.

"Try not to move your knee. I’ll need to splint it. How's the bleeding now?"

Brad pulled the towel away. "It's stopped."

"Can you get the beam off him?" Johnny asked. His back was beginning to hurt and his left leg was starting send sharp pains up to his back but getting Roy free was his priority.

The two actors lifted the beam and placed it carefully away from Roy. "Don't move him." Johnny instructed. "He could have spinal injuries. Is he breathing ok?"

"He still has his mask on." Brad replied.

"Good. Is there any way you think you could lift this cupboard off me so I can slide out from under it?"

"We can try?" The actors made their way carefully over to Johnny. What was left of the ceiling above them creaked. Johnny tried to look above him but the movement hurt his back and shoulder. He knew he shouldn’t be moving his neck because he may have spinal injuries but with everything going on around him, it was hard not to.

"Careful of your leg. Try not to put any weight on it." Johnny told Brad.

The actors got a good hold of the cupboard. "On the count of three." Brad instructed, as Johnny braced himself.

"One…two…THREE!" They lifted the cupboard about a foot. It was enough for Johnny to drag himself out from under it. His left leg sent sharp pains up to his back. His back tingled when the weight was lifted off. His shoulder screamed at him when he moved his arms. He ignored it and continued dragging himself forward until he was clear of the cupboard.

"Clear!" Johnny yelled and the actors placed the cupboard back down. They helped Johnny remove his SCBA.

"You're bleeding. There's something in your shoulder." Brad stated.

Johnny felt a tugging and before he could tell Brad not to touch whatever it was, he felt a white hot pain in his shoulder that sent him spiralling into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

 

"What do we do now?"

"I guess we stop the bleeding like we did for the other one." Brad replied to his friend.

"Yes yes….Good thinking. Let me do it. You rest your knee. Remember he said not to move it too much….I can see it's hurting you." He grabbed the hand towel and placed it over the wound.

"Oh sure Dave and your head isn't hurting you." Brad countered.

They both turned towards Roy when they heard him moan. Brad crawled over to Roy while Dave kept pressure on Johnny's shoulder. Roy could hear quarrelling. At first he thought he was back at the station and Johnny and Chet were arguing but the voices were wrong. He wondered why he was lying on the floor and his head really hurt. He tried to open his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Brad asked Roy. The paramedic blinked trying to make sense of what was happening around him.

Roy tried to focus on the face that suddenly came into view. When his sight cleared he remembered where he was. He took off his mask and tried to sit up. Dizziness almost caused him to pass out again. When the room stopped spinning, he slowly, with the help of Brad, sat up and looked around. The room was littered with wreckage. "Johnny!"

"Your partner is over there. He passed out when I took a piece of metal out of his shoulder. Dave is trying to stop the bleeding." Roy's headache was making it hard to process all the information Brad was telling him but he went into paramedic mode when he heard bleeding.

"What….What piece of metal? How deep was it?" Roy crawled over to Johnny and Dave. Johnny was starting to stir. He slowly blinked and he too like Roy before him, tried to focus on what was happening around him.

"Roy...You're awake." Johnny smiled but it was more like a grimace. He was so relieved to see his partner conscious and alert.

"Yeah I'm awake. What about you? Are you hurt anywhere else?" Roy took Johnny's wrist before he could protest, to feel his pulse. It was a little fast for his liking.

"Dave and Brad helped me get out from under that cupboard. My left leg is broken and my back hurts…so does my shoulder." Johnny told Roy. He didn't tell him he was having trouble breathing and that he had a headache.

"Bleeding has stopped…mostly." Dave told Roy.

Roy took off his turnout coat and then his shirt. He ripped his shirt into strips and bandaged Johnny's shoulder. Using some wood from a crushed chair Roy splinted Johnny's leg.

Johnny checked Roys head and bandaged it. They splinted Brad's knee and checked Dave's head. Roy swayed as a wave of dizziness overtook him. Johnny laid him down and told him to lie still for a while; Roy would have none of it. "I need to find the HT."

"Even if you found it Roy, there's no guarantee it would work." Johnny told him as he pushed harder against his partner’s chest to keep him from moving.

"Yeah but if something got through at least they would know we're alive." Roy appealed not wanting to just lie still when the HT could possibly still be working.

"You two have been partners for a long time?" Dave asked Roy and Johnny.

"Yeah….It shows that much?" Roy answered, feeling frustrated with his overbearing partner.

"Yes. You remind me of Brad and me. We've been acting together for around twenty years now." Johnny snorted. "What?"

"Well I was just thinking…about me and Roy….in twenty years’ time…as paramedics." Johnny tried to explain but received puzzled looks from Dave and Brad.

"Well you know." Johnny nodded his head. "Twenty years’ time us still being paramedics…running into burning buildings….climbing towers…abseiling down a cliff or building." He tried to paint the picture that was in his mind.

"Yes well there's more to a friendship than just working together." Brad told Johnny.

Johnny now had the puzzled look on his face. Roy was smiling. He knew his partner well enough to know that he was unable to see past the work friendship but he also knew that deep down Johnny was the closest thing to a brother he would ever have and that it was likewise for Johnny, he just didn't know it.

"Who knows Junior may be rescue won't be part of the Paramedic program. We could just be Paramedics."

"I like fire fighting Roy."

"I know but will you like it in twenty years’ time?"

"I don't know…Maybe." Johnny shrugged but grimaced with the movement. Roy shook his head.

“Don’t move your shoulders…You’ll start the bleeding again.” Roy warned.

"Well I for one never thought I would still be acting….But…I am and with my best friend. What more could a man want."

"Roy's my best friend." Johnny claimed thinking that the two actors didn’t know.

"We know!" Brad and Dave said in unison.

Johnny cleared his throat feeling slightly embarrassed and announced,"We need to find the HT."  Roy shook his head. They searched through the debris. Roy finally found it but it was smashed. Dejectedly the four men who were suffering from their injuries sat down and rested.

"I wish we had our equipment." Johnny said dismally.

"I was just thinking the same thing." Roy agreed. He rubbed his temples. The persistent headache was wearing him down. He felt his partners hand around his wrist. "I'm alright Johnny." He snorted in reply.

"Well…Just let me confirm that Pally." Roy smiled but it faltered when he felt his partner's hand tremble.

Above ground the fire fighters were finally getting the upper hand on the fire. Station 51's crew were desperately moving away the debris blocking the stairwell. As paramedic teams became available they joined the crew and helped clear the pathway to their brother fire fighters.

"Lay back Johnny and slow down your breathing. Why didn't you tell me you were having trouble breathing Junior?" Roy checked his partner with concern.

Brad looked at Dave knowingly. "I have the same trouble with this one. He'll be sick and not tell me till after the performance."

"Yeah this one tends to hide injuries. He's so used to looking after himself he forgets he has a partner who worries about him." Roy checked Johnny’s chest.

"He has no family."

"He has us." Roy said with conviction.

"So it's just you waiting in the waiting room at the hospital."

"Me and the rest of the crew at station 51 and some of the staff in the ER at Rampart General Hospital." Johnny stared at the mangled ceiling listening to his partner and concentrating on his breathing.

"It's the same for Dave. I'm the one who waits for him at the doctors or in the emergency waiting room when he's had one of his many bouts of pneumonia. I wouldn't have it any other way. My wife and kids love him."

Roy checked Johnny's pulse again. "We need to get out of here Roy." Johnny whispered. He felt a little panicked as his breathing became more laboured.

"It's going to be hard with your leg and Brad's leg." Roy pointed to Johnny's broken leg. He checked the pulse in the foot of the broken leg.

"You and Dave should go and see if you can clear a path from this end. No doubt they'll be working from the other end." Roy agreed and slowly stood up wary of the dizziness from his concussion.

Brad got comfortable next to Johnny. "I hope you didn't mind us talking."

"Nah….Roy knows me all too well. Truth is I didn't realise till now how much I depend on him. Listening to him talking and you talking about Dave, I hope I still have Roy as my best friend in twenty years’ time."

"I'm sure you will."

Johnny half smiled, his leg was sending sharp pains through his body and his shoulder was throbbing. Every so often his body would shake. He just wanted to go to sleep but he needed to keep an eye on Brad. He listened to Roy and Dave moving debris out of the way as they made their way towards the exit. Time stood still in their underground world as two sets of friends worked towards freedom and staying alive.


	3. Chapter 3

Roy and Dave climbed their way back into the room. Roy was exhausted and his head was pounding. He sat down next to Johnny and sighed. "We've gone as far as we can. It’s too dangerous to try to move the bigger stuff. We could end up under an avalanche." Roy massaged his temples.

"C…could you hear anyone d…digging?" Johnny asked in a breathy voice. Roy frowned at his partner. His best friend was gradually getting worse. He took his partner's wrist and checked his pulse.

"Yes yes….we could hear them digging….I'm sure they won't be long." Dave told Johnny and Brad enthusiastically. Roy was trying to count the beats in his partner’s wrist but was finding it increasingly hard to concentrate.

Suddenly Roy passed out, landing on Brad's legs. "Oh dear!" Brad cradled Roy's head. Johnny, ignoring the pain in his back and chest, lent over Roy and checked his eyes and breathing. He then checked the back of his head. It was still sluggishly bleeding. He tried to wake Roy but he was deeply unconscious. Johnny's head was swimming also as his breathing became laboured. He lent back against the end of the cupboard and calmed his breathing.

"Are you alright?" Dave asked Johnny.

Johnny tried to smile. "I'm just having a little trouble breathing. It's making me light headed…..Listen if I pass out, just keep me upright and try to wake Roy every few minutes…..I think one of my ribs has punctured my lung….That's why I can't breathe too good….I'm sorry."

"Ah…no…no…no….none of that. You and your partner came down here to rescue us and if it wasn't for you pushing Brad out of the way…he would have been crushed." Dave looked at his long-time friend. "It's our turn to look after you."

"Well that won't be necessary." Johnny smiled at Dave. "We just need to conserve our energy and wait for help to arrive. I'm sure they'll be here soon." Johnny hoped they’d be here soon. Both he and his partner desperately needed help.

"You're right." Brad said. "Where are you from?"

"Johnny.” He put his hand on his chest. He then pointed to his partner. “And that's Roy."

"Johnny, where are you from?"

"I'm originally from Florida…I was born on an Indian Reservation….but I mostly grew up here in California. We left the reservation when I was ten. My father had us move around a lot….where his work took him….so in my senior years of high school I stayed with my aunt."

"What type of Indian are you?" Brad asked.

"Seminole."

"I must admit that I'm a bit of a history buff. I love reading and hearing stories about America the old." Brad told Johnny.

Johnny smiled at Brad. He tried to wake Roy and got a response when he rubbed his sternum. Soon Roy's eyes fluttered open. Johnny kept calling his name.

"I hear you." Roy finally replied. Roy waited for his vision to clear before trying to sit up. Dave helped him. Once everyone was settled, in a semi-circle, they relaxed.

"So where are you from Brad?" Johnny asked after he saw that Roy was comfortable.

"I'm from a little town in North Dakota. I moved to LA when I was sixteen. I was going to become a star…..like so many others." Johnny and Roy smiled, having heard that statement a lot living here in LA.

"I met Brad at the auditions for the first play at this very theatre…..but we didn't become friends till we met again a few years later for another audition. We both got parts for that one."

"So you've always been acting for a living?" Roy asked smiling.

"Yes yes….mostly…..I've been stage manager a couple of times….same with Brad." He smiled at his friend, both were remembering past years.

"I wouldn't change my life for anything. It's been a good life. I'm going to miss this theatre." Brad stated sadly as he looked around. It was now unrecognisable.

"Maybe they'll rebuild it." Roy suggested.

"No they'll probably pull it all down and build a shopping centre. I'd be surprised if the building was even insured." They all nodded. It was a sign of the times.

"How did you two meet?" Dave asked Johnny and Roy.

"Well this young rescue man walked into my makeshift office and after much convincing on my part, joined the first paramedic training program out of Rampart Hospital. He passed first place….I swung it with the chief to make him my partner….When we were certified Johnny was the first paramedic to perform a certified procedure out in the field…and I've been looking after him ever since." Roy said jokingly. Johnny scowled at his partner.

"Hey….I can look after me. Roy left out that if it wasn't for his dedication and commitment to the program, it would never have got off the ground." Johnny looked at his partner with pride.

Brad and Dave exchanged amused looks. "It sounds like you two make a good team."

"Yeah well, we have our moments….like now." Roy looked around the room. The noise of the rescuers was getting louder.

Chet and Marco were having a forced break while the crew of station 43 took over. "Do you think Johnny and Roy are ok?" Chet asked his friend.

"I'm sure they're fine Chet…..We have to remain positive." Marco told his friend. They had done this many times not just for Johnny and Roy but for other fire-fighters.

"You're right! Nothing can happen to Gage and DeSoto. They're the best." Chet said as he sighed with relief. Marco had eased the anxiety that had been gradually building inside Chet as they worked on clearing the debris. The fire itself was almost out. Near seventy percent of the block had been destroyed. It was still a mystery as to how the fire started in the first place.

A shadow covered the two linemen. They looked up expectantly.  "You ready to continue?"

"Sure Cap." They stood up and Captain Stanley slapped them both on the back. The two friends could see the worry on their Captain's face.

"Don't worry Cap…I'm sure they're fine. We have to remain positive." Chet echoed Marco's words from earlier. Marco chuckled and shook his head.

"Come on Chet." Marco guided his friend towards the rescue. It was slow going because they had to be careful. The whole area was unstable. They didn’t want a cave-in on the firemen currently working and they didn’t want the entrance to be further blocked.

Johnny could feel his back muscles beginning to spasm. Trying to draw in enough air to stay conscious was becoming a real chore. Too many things were happening to his body at once. Roy was looking at him and saying something but he couldn't hear him over the roaring in his ears.

"Johnny, tell me what's happening. Johnny, stay with me. Johnny!" Roy felt Johnny tense up, he went extremely pale and his breathing became more laboured. He could see that Johnny was trying to tell him something but was unable to talk. When his partner went limp he checked his vitals. Roy took off his turnout and covered his partner. He rubbed his hand over his face and sighed. They needed to get out and fast. Johnny’s condition was deteriorating.

Roy turned to face Dave and Brad. "There's no other way out of here? Nothing you can think of?"

Both men looked at each other as if trying to will the other to come up with an answer. Brad suddenly opened his mouth. "There’s the old delivery shaft. It leads to the side of the building."

"Where is it? Can you show me?" Roy asked calmly but urgently.

"It hasn't been used in years but yes…yes…I can show you." Dave led Roy into the opposite room. He pointed to what looked like doors but had been covered by shelving which now lay on the floor.

Roy pulled off the remaining shelving and then pushed on the doors. He looked around the room for something strong to help pry open the doors. Dave picked up a steel rod that would have been used to hang costumes. "Will this help?"

"Yes…thank you." Roy took the rod and pushed it between the doors. He managed to get one of the doors to open about a foot. He peered into the darkness behind the door praying it wasn't full of debris.


	4. Chapter 4

Johnny opened his eyes. Brad quietly asked him, "How are you feeling? Roy and Dave are looking for another way out." Johnny blinked a few times and waited for his brain to start working. His chest felt tight and it hurt to breathe.

He sat up straighter and looked around. "Where…are they…looking?" He looked down and saw that he had Roy's coat over him. He felt a little better but talking was definitely a chore.

"There's an old delivery shaft that hasn't been used in years. They're looking for it." The sound of creaking suddenly got louder. There was a loud crack, and then a crash as part of the ceiling opened up. Water cascaded down into the room. Soon other parts of the ceiling gave way. Water rushed into the whole area.

"Help…me up!" Johnny grabbed Brad's hand and rose to stand. Brad saw a broom floating in the water that was already about six inches deep.

"Here! You can use this as a crutch." He handed the broom to Johnny.

"Thanks. That's…good…thinking." Johnny gratefully took the broom, placed the head under his arm and used it to support him. His back and chest reminded him that he should stay still but he ignored it. He knew they had to move quickly before the rest of the ceiling collapsed on top of them.

Roy used his penlight to see into the shaft. It was clear. A loud crash came from behind them. Both Roy and Dave watched in horror as the ceiling gave way and water rushed down like waterfalls. They pushed through the now floating debris back to Johnny and Brad.

The friends met in what was once the hallway. Roy immediately grabbed Johnny. "We have…to get…out of…here Roy." Johnny said breathlessly. Roy guided Johnny and Dave helped support Brad. They made their way back to the newly discovered shaft. Roy and Dave pulled the door open further and soon all four men were inside the shaft. Using the torch from his turnout coat Roy was able to get a better look at the exit. It was clear of debris but water was snaking its way into the shaft.

"We need to keep moving and hope that there's a way out at the other end." Roy told everyone. It was cooler, the walls were reinforced with cement and it sloped upwards. Noise from the other side of the door drifted away as they moved further into the shaft. It was an eerie feeling in the quiet shaft. After all the noise from the collapsing building to this silence with only their heavy breathing breaking the silence, it made them all feel strange. Johnny squeezed Roy's shoulder.

"I have…to stop…for…a…minute…Roy." Johnny told his friend through clenched teeth. Roy could feel Johnny's back muscles spasm and his breathing become ragged. The effort of moving was draining him of all his strength.

"Just for a minute Johnny. Slow down your breathing…..That's it. Ok?" Roy calmly assured his friend but inside he was worried. They needed to keep moving. "Brad Dave…You ok?"

"Yes yes…don't worry about us…Just look after your partner." Dave told Roy. He could see the concern in Roy's eyes for his partner.

"You know when this is all over I'm going to write a play about all of this." Brad told his best friend.

"I'll help you write it." Dave replied.

"Roy…where exactly…are we…going?" Johnny asked. He wanted to lie down and sleep.

"Hopefully to a door that leads us back onto the street behind the theatre." Roy told his partner optimistically. "You ready to get going?" He knew Johnny’s body didn’t want to move but his stubborn partner would, and he did. He lent heavily on Roy as his strength was gradually being sapped away.

Johnny groaned with each step as the four men continued, slowly towards the unknown with only a torch lit pathway to follow.

The fire fighters above ground worked vigorously on clearing the stairwell. There was a loud crash and soon everyone was running away from the stairwell as the damaged ceilings collapsed from the weight of water from the firemen's hoses.

Chet, Marco, Mike and Captain Stanley stared at the wreckage. All their efforts of clearing the stairwell were replaced with new debris. "There must be another way in." Captain Stanley stated.

"We can look round back Cap. Maybe there's a back entrance." Mike suggested.

"Yeah….like a backstage door or something." Chet added.

"Ok you three search the perimeter of the building. I'll see if the chief has any city plans for the building. Keep in touch." He held up his HT.

It was slow going, Johnny's makeshift crutch slipped several times on the wet floor. He couldn't get a good grip of the broom. All his strength was being used to breathe and ride out the constant back spasms. He found himself leaning more on Roy than on the crutch. Roy held on tightly knowing a fall could seriously hurt his partner.

Roy's head was pounding. The exertion of supporting Johnny wasn't helping his headache. His hands were shaking and his vision was wavering. He looked over at the actors and saw that Dave was heavily supporting Brad. He thought that they must be a sight.

They finally reached what looked like a roller door. "This must be it." Roy stated as he inspected the door. He sat Johnny down. Johnny's eyes were squeezed tightly shut and his teeth were clenched. "Johnny…You ok?"

Johnny nodded, he gulped in air. The exertion had exhausted him. Roy could feel Johnny's body trembling. He was sweating profusely but was shivering at the same time.  "Just take it easy Junior. We'll get out of this." Johnny opened his eyes and looked at his partner. He nodded but somehow felt if it wasn't soon that he may not make it. "You hold on." Roy smiled and squeezed Johnny's arm.

Roy used the torch to find some sort of opening they could latch onto and maybe pull the door inwards.

"There's not much give." Dave stated as he too tried to pull.

"There has to be a way to get this open from the inside. Look for a chain that can manually open the door.”

"Like that over there." Brad pointed to a long chain dangling from the roll above the door. Roy pointed the torch up to it.

"There's a release mechanism up there." Roy told them.

"Will…the broom…reach it?" Johnny asked. He held it up.

Roy looked at his partner who was holding up the broom. "Thanks Johnny." Roy took the broom but it fell short. He turned to Dave. "If you were on my shoulders, do you think you could push against the handle?"

"I can try." Dave responded.

Roy knelt down and rose with Dave on his shoulders. Brad steadied him and passed the broom to Dave. Dave pushed with all his strength. Several times the broom slid from the handle and banged into the door making a loud crashing noise in their confined area. Johnny jumped and groaned from the movement each time.

Chet, Marco and Mike were making their way around the building, moving debris out of the way to make sure no doors were concealed. They heard something banging against metal. The three crewmen from station 51 ran towards what looked like a roller door. Chet banged on it and yelled, "Roy….Johnny!"

Roy yelled to Dave to stop. They heard Chet call out their names. Roy sighed with relief. Dave banged the broom handle on the door. "Chet we're in here." Roy yelled.

Chet, Marco and Mike smiled. Mike pulled out his HT and told Captain Stanley that they had found them and told him they need the K12. "Stand back we're going to cut through." Mike yelled.

"Hurry!" Roy yelled back. He grabbed Johnny and dragged him back and lent him against the opposite wall.  He knelt down in front of him. "How are you doing Johnny?"

"I'm…alright…Roy. Are…Brad and…Dave ok?" Johnny asked. He was finding it increasingly hard to breathe.

"They're fine Johnny." Roy assured his partner.

"Man….This…place…is…a…maze." Johnny breathlessly proclaimed.

"You should see some of the theatres in London." Brad injected.

"No thanks! I think I'll stick to the open air theatres in future." Roy countered.

"Aahh….You're no fun." Dave replied.

It wasn't long before daylight streamed into the shaft. Paramedics from station 43 and 38 rushed in and took vitals of all four men. Dave and Brad were rushed away before they were able to say goodbye to Johnny and Roy. Roy was taken next. Johnny was the last to be taken out of the shaft.

"How you doing pal?" Captain Stanley asked his youngest crew member as he was carried on a backboard.

"I'm…alright…Cap. I’m…glad to…finally…be out…of there. It…was… like…a…maze…down…there…Cap." An oxygen mask was placed over his mouth, cutting off the conversation.

 

Eight months later….

"Come on Roy we'll be late." Johnny pushed his partner forward through the doors of the newly built theatre. They had front row seats. The play they were about to watch was called 'A Journey of Friendship' written by and starring Brad and Dave.

Two hours later, Johnny and Roy met up with the actors after the show in their dressing room. "Well did you like the play?"

"You bet…Far out….that was great." Johnny said enthusiastically. Roy smiled agreeing with his zealous partner.

"Yes yes….and guess what?" Dave was bursting with some news.

"We're going to Broadway. They've signed us up." Brad announced.

"That's great!" Roy and Johnny shook their hands.

"We'd like you boys to come to opening night and share the moment with us." Brad said sincerely.

"If it wasn't for you not only would we not be here but we wouldn't have been able to write such an honest and passionate play. Your friendship reminded us of a lot of things we had long forgotten. So say yes you'll come. All expenses paid of course." Dave said expectantly.

Johnny and Roy looked at each other and smiled. "We wouldn't miss it." Roy said smiling. Johnny smiled widely and gave a firm nod of agreement.

The four friends made their way to a downtown restaurant and had a late supper together. Brad and Johnny compared scars while Roy and Dave looked on appreciating the fact that they were alive and had their best friends to share it with.


End file.
